Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao during a PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals game against NLEX Road Warriors. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Coach Yeng Guiao and Rain or Shine are hoping that their time finally comes as they set to face TNT for a third consecutive semifinal series.
The Elasto Painters arranged a best-of-seven duel with the Tropang 5G by way of defeating the NLEX Road Warriors twice in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals, and Guiao will lean on his wards to put their best effort in their latest bid to get one over the Grand Slam-seeking squad.
READ: PBA: Rain or Shine heads to semifinals anew after ousting NLEX
“Our motto is just show up, be there and maybe one of these days, you can get to the next level,” Guiao said after Saturday’s 103-92 win at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
It will be the fourth straight conference that the two teams square off in the playoffs, with Rain or Shine prevailing over TNT in last year’s Philippine Cup quarterfinals that went the full three games.
But TNT has since dominated Rain or Shine by taking 4-1 series wins in the PBA Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup semis, both times with the then-Tropang Giga parading Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the import-laden conferences.
HIGLIGHTS: PBA Quarterfinals: TNT vs Magnolia, Rain or Shine vs NLEX
TNT also holds the psychological edge over Rain or Shine, taking a 111-103 win in their lone elimination round meeting.
“Of course, TNT is a champion team chasing a Grand Slam, but we will try to give our best effort,” he added.
Rain or Shine will look to do with a team that has embraced a grit-like attitude anchored by Santi Santillan, Jhonard Clarito and even Mike Malonzo, who was instrumental in the Elasto Painters pulling away in the fourth quarter.
Game 1 of their best-of-seven series is set Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
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